Mindmelt, Annihilation, Black Mamba, and Kronic. Welcome to the world of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), or so called “legal highs.” The past five years has seen an unprecedented increase in […]
Global health
Jocalyn Clark: Rana Plaza survivors—let down by some, lifted up by others
As the two year anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza approaches—when over 1100 people were killed and 2500 injured, mostly women garment workers—the fight for compensation continues. The […]
Engaging medical diasporas with their country of origin
While discussion about the contributions of the African diaspora to their countries of origin is often centred on their financial and business resources, less attention is afforded to their participation in […]
Rui Tato Marinho: Travelling, learning, and futuring in Mozambique
Last September I was in Mozambique, trying to find my grandparents’ house in the city of Beira. The house is there, still alive. They left Mozambique 50 years ago. Mozambique […]
Bernard Merkel: Measuring the performance of health systems—a troubled history
The World Health Organization has never been the most radical or dynamic body, which—as an international, public, administrative organisation with a ferociously complex governance structure—is not entirely surprising. But in its […]
Nasreen Jessani: The (conflicted) role of researchers as advocates
“You must lobby the parliament for your research to be considered! Rigorous evidence needs to be coupled with intense lobbying in order for political parties, who are steered by interest […]
Gado Napo-Koura: Togo joins the Family Planning 2020 Movement
As a former medical intern, I witnessed the devastating impact that lack of access to modern family planning had on the lives of women and young girls. I recall admitting a […]
Jocalyn Clark: Where cancer is a neglected disease
A great deal of attention is being paid to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as an emerging source of illness, death, and healthcare costs—recognising that low and middle income countries (LMICs) in […]
Janneke Hartvig Blomberg: Insights into infant feeding practices in Indonesia
Experts in nutrition, researchers, academics, and business leaders gathered in London last week for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)’s Symposium to progress thinking around infant and young child nutrition. When […]
Peter Baker: Men’s health—a problem hidden in plain sight?
The poor state of men’s health must be one of the biggest health issues routinely not talked about. It is ignored or sidelined by virtually all national governments and by […]